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Scientists think the answer lies with the accumulation of waste products in the brain.
科学家认为，答案在于大脑中废物的积累。
During our waking hours, our cells are busy using up our day's energy sources,
在我们醒着的时候，我们的细胞都在忙着用我们一天的能源，
which get broken down into various byproducts, including adenosine.
其中细分为各种副产品，包括腺苷。
As adenosine builds up, it increases the urge to sleep, also known as sleep pressure.
随着腺苷的积聚，它增加了冲动睡觉，也被称为睡眠压力。
In fact, caffeine works by blocking adenosine's receptor pathways.
事实上，咖啡因通过阻断腺苷的受体途径来起作用。
Other waste products also build up in the brain, and if they're not cleared away,
其他废物也在脑中积聚，如果他们不清理掉
they collectively overload the brain and are thought to lead to the many negative symptoms of sleep deprivation.
而共同使大脑超载，这被认为是导致睡眠剥夺的诸多不良症状的原因。
So, what's happening in our brain when we sleep to prevent this?
那么，当我们睡觉时，我们的大脑发生了什么事来阻止这种情况呢？
Scientists found something called the lymphatic system,
科学家发现淋巴系统，
a clean-up mechanism that removes this buildup and is much more active when we're asleep.
一个清理机制，能消除这种堆积并且当我们睡着了更加活跃。
It works by using cerebrospinal fluid to flush away toxic byproducts that accumulate between cells.
它的工作原理是利用脑脊液冲走在细胞之间的有毒的副产品。
Lymphatic vessels, which serve as pathways for immune cells, have recently been discovered in the brain,
淋巴管，它作为途径免疫细胞，最近在大脑中被发现，
and they may also play a role in clearing out the brain's daily waste products.
他们也可能清理出大脑的日常废品。
While scientists continue exploring the restorative mechanisms behind sleep,
虽然科学家继续探索背后的睡眠恢复机制，
we can be sure that slipping into slumber is a necessity if we want to maintain our health and our sanity.
我们可以肯定的是如果我们要保持我们的健康和理智，陷入睡眠是必要的。
